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Arms and Armour: Axes
Axes were first designed as tools, to break apart timber for human use, but from the simple woodsman's axe to the mighty double-bladed axe, these are dangerous weapons. The basic rules for an axe is simple: take a wooden shaft, stick metal on the end, carve one end down to a blade. The end product is often surprisingly effective. While widely used across Fastheld, axes are in especially common use within House Lomasa, being the weapon of choice of a majority of its nobles. Woodsman's Axe This is the most commonly used of all axes, but is generally ineffective as a weapon, and is normally not considered to be such. This is the tool of woodsmen, used in procuring timber for Fastheld's markets. *'In-Game Item Description:' **An axe with a two-foot-long wooden shaft topped by a sharpened wedge of steel. Citizen Axes These axes are designed to be used as weapons as well as tools, and are free for use among any citizen of Fastheld. Primarily meant for self defense, they are not the most effective of the weapons, but are normally enough to ward off any cutpurse. Hatchet A hatchet is the smallest of the weapons-quality axes (not counting throwing axes), covered in another section). Commonly used among Freelanders as a secondary weapon and tool, those who favor the hatchet do so because of its ease in carrying, easily stored in small places, and because the small shaft is easy to handle. *'In-Game Description:' **A Hatchet, consisting of a simple axe blade at the top of a ten-inch haft. The blade is unerringly simple in design, merely a block of metal, narrowed until one end is sharp enough to chop through its target. Leather thongs help hold the hatchet blade in place, while a simple leather grip sits on the bottom of the haft. ---- Bearded Axe The Bearded Axe was designed as an answer to the problem of axes with a large blade being rather heavy, due to the extra metal being made. While the large cutting surface is desirable, axes had come to be rather unwieldy. The bearded style, however, significantly reduced the axe's weight. Because of this, it is a favored blade for woodsmen, and is not entirely uncommon to see on the battlefield, though decidedly less so than its brethren. *'In-Game Description:' **A Bearded Axe, consisting of a bearded, crescent axe blade atop a one foot haft. The axe blade is rather thin where it is set to the shaft, but as it extends, the blade curves out and downward, creating a good seven-inch crescent cutting edge without sacrificing much in the way of weight. A simple leather grip is on the bottom quarter of the haft, making it easy to hold in one hand. ---- War Axe Where an axe is a soldier's primary weapon, the war axe is the weapon of choice of most Freelanders. As the name suggests, while this instrument may be used as a tool, it is evident that it was not designed for anything less than the battlefield. Freelander militia in service to House Lomasa are often equipped with these, in imitation of their noble lords. *'In-Game Description:' **A War Axe, consisting of a two-pronged blade at the top of a eighteen-inch haft. The forward section of the blade, curving away from its narrow neck up and downward to make a twelve-inch cutting edge. The aft section of the war axe is a downward-curved, almost scythe-like blade, for catching opponents coming from a less suspected direction. ---- Gothic Axe The finest axe available to a Freelander, the Gothic axe is commonly used by personal guards, especially in Lomasan territory, and citizens with a greater income than most. Nor is it uncommon to see the weapon in the hands of a noble, for while it is not so powerful or fearsome as a battle axe or double-bladed axe,it is strong enough, and light for those without great strength. *'In-Game Description:' **A Gothic Axe, consisting of a two-part axe blade mounted on a heavy, eighteen-inch, double-layered haft. While the weight of the haft allows for a more forceful blow, the axe blade itself is a rather simple, ten-inch crescent sharpened until the metal around the edge shines. A simple backspike sits opposite, serving as a counterbalance, or as a pick weapon if the axe is reversed. Noble Axes The most powerful of the axes, these are also the most restricted. Axes designed for use by the nobility were designed with the battlefield in mind, to be wielded by knights and noble commanders. Freelanders are not permitted to wield such weapons. Battle Axe If a noble weapon could be called common, this would be the axe that was the most so among those who could wield it. It cannot be used from horseback, owing to it requiring two hands to properly hold, but a knight or commander of foot may carry this onto the field. *'In-Game Description:' **A Battle Axe, consisting of a three-part blade atop a four foot timber haft. Two grips are on the haft, one at the base and another halfway up, to allow for ease of grip and use. The forward, actual axe portion of the blade is a large, bearded crescent some twenty inches in arc-length, while opposite it, a downward curved blade serves the axe for slashing. At the top of the haft is the final portion - a foot long spike for piercing through armor. ---- Double-Bladed Axe This is the most fearsome of the axes, also called the butterfly axe for the shape its twin blades make. It is probably the most desired style of axe in Fastheld, but its users number low, for three reasons: only nobles can wield it, the weapon is expensive and the weapon is too heavy for most to wield. Those that do exist tend to be passed down as heirlooms. *'In-Game Description:' **A double-bladed axe, comprised of twin crescent blades set on a five foot long shaft. The metal used to form them is typically two-toned - a long stretch of dark metal, with the edge polished to a bright, almost silvery sheen. A spike juts from the top of the shaft, adding an extra full foot to the weapon. Back to Arms_and_Armour_of_Chiaroscuro Category:Armor Category:Arms